Rushy Meads is a nature reserve managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust. It is about a mile south of Bishop's Stortford and situated between the road to Hatfield Heath and the River Stort. Good for birds and dragonflies, it was once a riverside meadow but then became a sewage pumping station. The filter beds now look very natural, but nitrate enrichment means that the soil is perfect for stinging nettles! Russian comfrey is also rampant and together with the nettles - dominate the reserve. However the drier higher ground near the road is more promising and there is still a small colony of the moisture loving ragged robin.  You can see more  and add your  own photographs  here. The incredible tattered flowers of the well named ragged robin can be seen here. An uncommon plant now that so many wetlands have been drained. You can also see it at Hunsdon Meads and Sawbridgeworth Marsh Ragged robin should not be confused with red campion that grows nearby and is very much more common Russian comfrey is a hybrid between white comfrey and rough comfrey and is now the most common comfrey. There are masses and masses of it here. It makes super rich compost if cut and allowed to mature. Put some in a water tub for powerful liquid manure - but it will smell awful! Hoary cress is often seen by the roadside and has an interesting story to tell. It comes from mainland Europe and was used to stuff the mattresses of soldiers wounded at a battle during the Napoleonic wars. The wounded soldiers were taken to a hospital on the island of Walcheren where a terrible fever killed many. The survivors and their mattresses were shipped home and landed at Ramsgate. The mattresses were later given to a farmer from nearby Thanet and the hoary cress seed in the mattresses germinated. The cress has now spread along the south coast and inland as well. It is also known now as "Thanet Weed".